Lies, Love, and Publicity Stunts
by nicfanz
Summary: There were rumors swirling that Shane and Mitchie were dating. In order to curb those rumors, Brown concocted the ultimate plan: pretend to date Tess Tyler to fool the media. To please his uncle and date Mitchie secretly, Shane agreed to the idea.
1. Dropping the Bomb

_What if I told you that it was all meant to be_

_Would you believe me, would you agree_

Tess Tyler stepped onto the camp ground, dragging her brand new Armani carry-on, and looked around. Familiar faces filled her vision and she smiled. It was going to be a great summer. She had talked to her mother last summer after her talking on the phone caused Tess to blow her performance. TJ Tyler had promised to spend more time with her daughter and she had. After coming home from Camp Rock last year, her mother had taken her to Italy for a week. Tess smiled as she remembered her wonderful week in Venice. Her mother had only answered her cell phone once but hung up after thirty seconds. Things had been so good lately that she hoped nothing would change.

She spotted Peggy and Ella and waved to them. They smiled and waved back, running to give her a hug.

"Tess, we missed you so much,'' Ella squealed. Peggy nodded in agreement.

"I missed you guys too. What have you been doing since last summer?'' Tess asked.

Ella rolled her eyes and complained, "My mother sent me to a boarding school in New York. For dinner they served goopy mashed potatoes and smelly green peas. It was horrible,'' The petite girl grabbed onto Tess' arm and gave her a sorrowful look.

"That's awful,'' Tess replied sympathetically. It was bad enough being shipped off to boarding school but they could at least have a decent menu. She patted her friend on the back. Looking at Peggy, she asked, "What about you?''

Peggy broke into a grin. "I got a record deal with Disney records,'' she revealed happily. "I'm recording in a real studio at the end of the summer.''

"Oh, my gosh. That's awesome,'' Tess squealed excitedly. She gave Peggy a big hug. "I'll be the first in line to buy ten copies,'' Tess promised, smiling.

Peggy's eyebrow rose. "Only ten?'' she teased, pretending to pout.

Tess laughed. "Okay, okay. Twenty." They all giggled and Tess had never had so much fun with her friends in her whole 16 years of life. This was going to be a great summer.

* * *

Shane Grey had a guitar case over his shoulder and a duffel bag in one hand. His brown eyes surveyed the camp, hoping to see a familiar face. Or should he say _the_ familiar face. He finally spotted a 5'2 petite girl with long brunette locks and he smiled. "Mitchie!'' he yelled, dropping his duffel bag to wave at her.

She turned to face him and grinned widely. Running over, she gave him a big hug. "Shane!'' she said, pulling back to look him in the eyes. "I missed you,'' she murmured softly.

"I missed you, too. It has been a long year,'' he whispered, his eyes not leaving hers.

She nodded in agreement. "At least we have the whole summer together.''

He smiled at the thought. After their duet together at Final Jam last year, everyone expected them to be a couple. But with Connect Three's busy schedule, Shane knew it was impossible and unfair to Mitchie if they had hooked up. So they opted to remain close friends for a year. Every night, Shane would call her after they headed back to the hotel room for a six hour rest. Sometimes they would spend the whole night talking that both of them would have black bags under their eyes the next morning that made them look like zombies.

This summer was going to be different. He was going to ask Mitchie to be his girlfriend. Connect Three's tour was over so he would have more time to spend with her. "Mitchie, I have something to tell you,'' he began nervously. "I-''

"That's Caitlyn calling me,'' Mitchie interrupted, looking back at her best friend. "I have to go. We'll talk later, okay?'' She gave him a peck on the cheek and ran to greet her friend.

"Okay, see you later,'' he murmured to a rapidly disappearing Mitchie. He looked down and sighed, running a hand through his messy locks. So much for telling her he wanted for them to be a couple. Suddenly, his cell phone vibrated and he quickly picked up. "Hello?''

"Hey nephew.''

Shane smiled. "Uncle Brown. What's up?'' he asked casually.

"Do you think you can meet me in my office? It's important.''

Shane's smiled slowly faded at his uncle's tone. He sounded serious and suddenly, Shane grew worried. He hoped it was nothing serious like his uncle was dying of cancer or something of that nature. "Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes," he promised and ended the call.

In eight minutes, Shane opened the door to his uncle's office which was actually a regular cabin with a desk inside. "Uncle Brown, I'm here,'' Shane announced, looking at him nervously.

Brown nodded at his nephew and said, "Sit down.'' He pointed to the chair across his desk.

Shane slowly pulled the chair out and sat down. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "So, what was it that you wanted to tell me?''

Brown opened one desk drawer and grabbed a bunch of magazines, throwing them onto the desk. "This,'' he replied, pointing to the stack of magazines.

Shane picked one up. It was _BOP_, a tween magazine, and the cover was decorated with pictures of Miley Cyrus, the Sprouse twins, and of course Connect Three. Under Shane's picture, the headline said _Guess who this lead singer is dating_. Shane put down the magazine and shrugged. "I don't get it. What's the big deal?"

"Look at this one," Brown said, handing him another magazine.

Shane took it and saw that it was _Tiger Beat_. The cover again had Miley and Connect Three. Under the band's picture, big bold words said **Is Shane Grey Dating A Cook's Daughter? **"How did they…?" He did not tell anyone of his late night conversations with Mitchie and he was sure she did not tell anyone, either.

"The media has eyes and ears everywhere,'' Brown answered pointedly. "There were already rumors swirling when you guys sang together at Final Jam last summer. But each day, the rumors became bigger and bigger," Brown said with a sigh, leaning back onto his leather chair.

Shane shrugged. "I was going to ask Mitchie to be my girlfriend anyways so it's not a big deal if they know."

Brown sat up immediately, alarmed. "No! No one can know anything."

Shane looked at his uncle quizzically. "Why not? What's the big deal?'' He did not know why his uncle was reacting so weirdly.

Brown put his head in his hands. "Connect Three's fan base is primarily comprise of females. If they knew that you were dating someone, you would lose half of your fan base. Your CD sales would plummet and no one would attend your concerts. Your career would be over."

Shane laughed. "Uncle, I know my fans. They won't care if I dated someone. They care about the music."

Brown shook his head. "Shane, sometimes you can be so naïve. Look at what happened to Donny Osmond,'' he pointed out.

"Look at what happened to Justin Timberlake," Shane countered.

Brown bit his bottom lip and thought for a moment. "You're right. Everyone already knows there is someone so it's too late to deny that. I know!'' He stood up abruptly, pointing an index finger towards the ceiling, almost knocking his chair over. "We'll reveal that you're dating…''

Shane leaned in excitedly. "Yes…''

"Tess Tyler,'' his uncle revealed much to Shane's horror.

"W-what? Tess? Huh?" He stared at his uncle, flabbergasted. He was sure his uncle was going to say Mitchie Torres as the magazines hinted that he was dating a cook's daughter.

Brown sat back down, looking at his nephew. "It's brilliant. Tess Tyler is the daughter of TJ Tyler, a famous pop star. You are the lead singer of one of the hottest bands right now. You two could be the ultimate pop couple." Brown looked dreamily towards invisible space.

Shane waved a hand in front of his uncle's face. "Hello? There's a problem: I don't like Tess at all."

Brown waved a hand carelessly. "That's not a problem. You're only pretending to date Tess then after a month you guys will break up. That way, your fan base will still be in tact."

"What about Mitchie?" Shane asked quietly, staring at the floor.

"You said you were about to ask Mitchie to be your girlfriend." Shane nodded and Brown continued, "So you two are not officially a couple. It's not like you're cheating on her," Brown reasoned.

"Why couldn't-"

"Why couldn't you just announce that you and Mitchie are dating?" Brown interrupted.

Shane nodded silently.

Brown sighed. "In a perfect world, it wouldn't matter who you dated. But this is the real world, Shane. What would people think if the headlines of _Tiger Beat_ said Shane Grey, world's famous pop star, and Mitchie Torres, a cook's daughter, are going out? They would laugh their heads off or worse, look at you with disgust and contempt."

"But these magazines already said that I'm dating her," Shane reasoned, pointing to the stack of tween magazines.

Brown shook his head. "Those were just speculation, pure rumors. But we need to nip this in the bud before rumors become reality. It will only be for a month, Shane." Brown looked at his nephew, his eyes pleading.

Shane sighed. "Does Tess know about this?''

Brown smiled, knowing his nephew had just agreed. ''Not yet, but I will talk to her next." He saw Shane's solemn expression and he felt a pang of regret. "Think about it this way Shane. Perhaps the news that you two are dating would distract the public so much that you could date Mitchie without any attention."

Hearing those words, Shane broke into a smile. He dating Tess could be a decoy so that he could be with Mitchie. "You're a genius, uncle."


	2. Point of No Return

_ It's a fact, once you get on board  
Say good-bye cause you can't go back_

"_Will Tess Tyler please go to Mr. Cessario's office. I repeat, will Tess Tyler please go to Mr. Cessario's office,''_ a voice boomed loudly over the camp's speakers.

Tess looked up in surprise. She had never been called to the camp director's office before. She wondered what Shane's uncle wanted with her. Waving good-bye to her friends, she made her way to Brown's cabin.

Knocking on the door twice, she waited for his permission to come in.

"Come in," Brown said on the other side of the door.

Tess turned the door knob and walked in. "Mr. Cessario," she said politely, giving him a respectful nod.

"Ahhh…Tess Tyler. Sit down." He gestured his hand towards the seat across from him.

Tess sat down slowly and looked at Brown, fidgeting her hands nervously.

"You're probably wondering why I asked you to come here," Brown said with a smile. Seeing her blank expression, he continued, "It's about my nephew, Shane Grey."

Tess' perfectly waxed eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Shane?'' They didn't really know each other, though she was a fan of Connect Three's music and she used to have a huge crush on him. They barely talked; she was just like every other girl, besides Mitchie, admiring him from a far.

Brown nodded. "As you know, there have been rumors of Shane dating a certain cook's daughter."

Tess nodded slightly. She knew the camp director was talking about Mitchie. "I read the magazines," she replied in acknowledgment.

Brown clapped his hands together. "Good, this will make the situation much easier."

Again, lines of confusion etched her pretty face. "I don't understand, make what easier?"

"As a famous pop star, if the public knew that Shane was dating the camp's cook's daughter, they will be laughing their heads off. Shane should be dating the likes of Vanessa Hudgens or Ashley Tisdale, not Mitchie Who? Do you know what I am saying?" Brown Cessario leaned forward.

Tess gave the camp director a blank stare. "What does that have to do with me?"

Brown stood up to walk around his desk. "I think that if you and Shane pretended to be a couple, it would draw attention away from Shane and Mitchie. After all, dating the daughter of a famous pop star is much more appealing then dating the caterer's daughter."

Tess' blue eyes widened. "Me date Shane? But he's with Mitchie," she protested.

Brown sat back down. "Wrong. They are not a couple yet, just at the borderline. Besides, you're just pretending to be a couple for a month. After, you guys will 'break up' and everything will be like it was again. No infidelity is involved if you're worried about that."

"Even if I agree, Shane would never-"

"He did," Brown interrupted with a grin. "It's all up to you now." He leaned back against his chair and folded his hands across his lap.

She put her hand on her forehead and inhaled deeply. Pretend to be dating Shane Grey, lead singer of Connect Three? Deep down, she knew this was wrong on so many levels. But she could not help finding the concept appealing. She guessed that even after a year, she was still not over her crush on him. She glanced at the waiting camp director. "It will only be for a month, right?"

* * *

Shane was watching Mitchie as she giggled with Caitlyn, while swallowing a spoonful of mashed potatoes. They were in the cafeteria having lunch and Shane was trying to figure out a way to tell Mitchie about the "plan." No doubt she would be furious that he had to pretend to be Tess' boyfriend. "Uh…Mitchie?"

She turned around to face him, smiling. "Yes, Shane?"

She looked so happy that he didn't want to hurt her. But he knew he had to tell her and the sooner, the better. "Let's take a walk near the lake after lunch," he suggested.

Mitchie nodded. "Okay," she replied and went back to eating her lunch.

Half an hour later, they were walking near the dock and the shimmering blue water gave the scenery a peaceful feeling. Shane stuck his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground as he walked. He did not know how to break the news to Mitchie; he just knew that it would devastate her.

"Is everything okay, Shane?" Mitchie asked worriedly.

"Huh? Oh," he said, breaking out of his daze. "N-no, nothing's wrong," he lied. He stopped and put his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. "Mitchie, I have something to tell you."

Mitchie searched his eyes and nodded slightly. "Okay, tell me."

Shane took a deep breath. "My uncle, Brown, says I have to pretend to date Tess." He closed his eyes and braced himself for the upcoming reaction.

"What? Why?" Mitchie cried, her eyes filled with tears. She took a step back. "I thought you liked me."

He reached an arm out to her but she refused to touch him. "I do. But there are rumors regarding us and my uncle wants to divert the media's attention by having me date Tess. It will only be for a month then she and I will break up. Think of it this way, Mitchie. If I pretend to date Tess, no one would suspect us. We could do anything we want." His eyes pleaded for her to understand.

Mitchie shook her head and looked down at the ground, letting the tears flow. "I don't understand. If you liked me, you would never hurt me like this. Have you ever considered how I'll feel? Seeing you and Tess on the covers of magazines, hugging and kissing? Do you care how I feel?" she sobbed, looking at him with tear stained eyes.

Seeing Mitchie cry made his heart broke. The last thing he ever wanted to do was to hurt her. "I'll go tell my uncle right now that I can't do it. I don't care what they say about us. I don't care if they know. I don't want to hurt you," Shane stated firmly.

Mitchie ceased her river flow and wiped her eyes. "Really?" she asked hopefully. "You'll do that for me?''

Shane nodded and took her hands in his. "I'll do anything for you."

Mitchie smiled and leaned her head into his shoulder. "I love you, Shane."

Shane smiled and rubbed her back gently.

* * *

"What do you mean you won't do it?" Brown bellowed.

"I can't hurt Mitchie," Shane said resolutely. He knew his uncle was furious that he decided to back out of the plan; but Mitchie's feelings were more important.

Brown gestured his hands towards Shane. "Don't you see? You're hurting Mitchie by not going through with the plan. If everyone knew that you two were dating or even talking with each other, the paparazzi would be all over her. She would not get a moment's rest. Not to mention, millions of teenage girls would hate her."

Shane sat there silently. He never thought of it that way. His uncle was right. If the world knew he was dating Mitchie, they would not leave her alone. She would have cameras in her face 24/7. She would definitely receive death threats from Connect Three's rabid fans.

"Don't do it for me. Don't do it for yourself. Do it for Mitchie," Brown coaxed.

Shane sighed. "I don't like this. But I guess if it means protecting Mitchie..."

Brown smiled. "You won't regret this, Shane. Trust me," the camp director reassured.


	3. Take a Bow

_Don't tell me you're sorry 'cause you're not  
Baby when I know you're only sorry you got caught_

Shane stepped out of his uncle's office when he saw Tess walk by. "Tess," he said, waving his hand at her.

She turned her head in surprise and smiled when she saw who it was. "Hi, Shane," she greeted shyly.

He rubbed the back of his head, his fingers getting caught in his messy brown locks. "So…um…how have you been?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

She had her hands in her jacket pockets and looked down at the ground, rubbing one foot on top of the other. "Okay…you?"

"Good," he answered quickly. "So…um…did my uncle talk to you?" he wondered nervously.

Tess nodded. "Do you really want to go through with this?" she asked, looking up at him.

Shane sighed. "Honestly? No. But I don't really have a choice," he revealed truthfully, the awkwardness and tension disappearing.

"You do," Tess insisted. "You can _not_ go through with it; you can let the world know that you like Mitchie."

Shane looked at the blonde girl in surprise. She seemed like she really care about the welfare of him and Mitchie. He always thought she was a bit selfish and self-absorbed. "If I don't go through with the plan then the paparazzi would be all over Mitchie. She would be hounded by reporters constantly. And you know how Connect Three's fans are. They can be pretty scary." He saw Tess nod knowingly.

"You must really love her then," Tess said quietly, looking down at the ground.

Love? He really liked Mitchie but they were only teenagers. He wasn't ready for love yet. "I care about her a lot if that's what you mean." He could have sworn he saw a frown on her face when he said that but the thought quickly disappeared from his mind. "So I'm assuming my uncle told you about the details," he said, changing the subject.

Tess nodded, biting down on her bottom lip and kicking at the dirt below her feet. "One month, right?"

"One month," Shane reaffirmed with a nod. "Look, if this is too much for you…"

Tess quickly shook her head. "No, I'm fine. So…how should we do this?" she asked, keeping her gaze on the ground.

He rubbed the back of his head again. "I guess we can start by holding hands in the cafeteria so that everyone can see that we're dating," he suggested.

She nodded and looked up at him. "What does Mitchie think about this?" she finally asked.

Shane let out a deep sigh. "She didn't take it too well," he replied sadly.

Tess rolled her eyes. "That's to be expected. I would be furious if I were her. I mean, my boyfriend pretending to date another girl? I would kill him. I would claw his eyes out, then rip out his heart-"

Shane put his hands up. "Okay! I get it. You wouldn't take it well. I just hope she will understand that I'm doing this for her."

She stared sympathetically at him. "I think she will. I may not know Mitchie like Caitlyn does but she seems like a reasonable person. If you explain everything to her, she will be okay. Besides, it will only be for a month," she reasoned.

Shane smiled. Somehow, the blonde's words lifted his spirits a little. After listening to her, he really believed that Mitchie will understand. "Thanks, Tess. You know, you're not as bad as everyone claimed you are." He put a hand over his mouth, as if he just exposed some shocking secret. "I mean…uh…"

She managed a small grin but he could tell she was hurt. "That's okay. I know what people say about me. I'm used to it. Let's go to the cafeteria now. I think it's almost time for dinner," she suggested, changing the subject.

He nodded as he followed her to the camp cafeteria.

* * *

The cafeteria was jam packed during dinner time, filled with famished teenagers waiting to devour their serving of Salisbury steak, peas, and brownie dessert topped with a spoonful of vanilla ice-cream.

Tess spotted Ella and Peggy and abruptly took Shane's hand, which surprised him as he turned to look at her, burning a hole through her pretty head. "Act naturally," she whispered to him. She hoped he was a good actor or they were screwed. As she began walking towards her friends' table, she noticed more and more campers were staring at them, whispering amongst themselves. She reached her wanted destination and sat down, pulling Shane down with her.

Ella and Peggy were staring at her with apparent shock. "Are you guys…?" Ella asked, looking from Tess to Shane and back to Tess again.

"What do you think?" Tess asked with a smirk. She touched Shane's shoulder and gave him a flirtatious smile, then averted her attention to her tray of food.

"Isn't he dating Mitchie?" Peggy whispered which earned her a slight elbow jab from Ella.

Tess ignored that comment and stabbed a piece of Salisbury steak onto her fork, putting the food into her mouth. She was so hungry that the food actually tasted edible today. Suddenly, an idea shot into her head and she retrieved more food from her tray. "Here Shane, eat," she said, putting the fork near his mouth.

He leaned backward, putting a hand up to block the offending utensil. "That's okay, Tess. I'm not hungry," he protested, but his growling stomach gave him away. He blushed and looked down at the table in embarrassment.

Tess smirked. "Aww just one little bite? Please?" she pleaded, pouting her full lips at him.

He softened a bit and sighed. "Fine," he said hesitantly, leaning forward to capture the piece of steak into his mouth. He chewed for a couple of seconds then swallowed, leaving Tess to smile in satisfaction.

"You're such a good boy," Tess cooed, pinching his cheek.

He swiped her hand away and hissed, "Stop it, Tess."

Just then, Mitchie walked towards their table. She looked at Shane and Tess cautiously. "What's going on?" she inquired slowly.

Tess smirked at the brunette girl. "What do you mean?" she asked pretentiously.

Mitchie looked at the Connect Three front-man. "Shane?" Her eyes demanded answers.

Shane looked back at her nervously. "We were…uh…we…" He shot Tess a look, pleading for the blonde to interject.

As if on cue, Tess added, "We're together." She gave Mitchie a big smile and took Shane's hand in hers.

The whole cafeteria became silent and Tess could hear some campers gasp in shock. Mitchie's eyes fell on their entwined hands and she looked up at Shane in anger. "I can't believe you," she hissed. She turned around and ran out of the cafeteria.

Shane immediately stood up. "Mitchie, wait!" He was about to chase after her when Tess pulled him down again. "Let go," he protested, attempting to yank out of her grasp.

"What are you doing?" she demanded through gritted teeth. "You're ruining everything. How will people believe that we are a couple if you go running after her?"

"I have to go talk to her," he said firmly, standing up from the table.

"Fine," she replied nonchalantly, taking a sip of her cranberry juice. "Go talk to her and let your plan be exposed. See how she likes it when she wakes up with a camera in her face, being asked 'When are you and Shane Grey getting married?'" She smirked behind her cup when she felt him sit back down.

"Do this for Mitchie. Do this for Mitchie," he constantly muttered to himself and Tess smiled, knowing she had him hook, line and sinker.

* * *

"What do you want to do now?" Tess asked Shane as they were walking out of the cafeteria. "It's still early."

Shane shrugged, hands in his pockets, looking down at the dirt filled ground. "Whatever."

She whirled to face him, clearly exasperated. "God, we're a couple. Can't you act like you're a _little_ interested?" she rolled her eyes.

"Look, Tess. Don't misunderstand. This is only pretend. We are not really dating. After a month, it's over," he said straight-forwardly. He saw hurt in her eyes and he winced. He did not mean to be a jerk but he didn't want her to get the wrong idea. He liked Mitchie and no on else. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

"You don't like me at all?" She looked him in the eyes and it was like she was staring a hole through him.

She was a pretty girl, no doubt, with her long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She was taller than the other girls, standing at 5'4 and he knew many would kill to have her lean, curvaceous body. Some would say she was a knockout. She also had a decent voice and great stage presence, despite messing up at Final Jam last summer. But she did not have what Mitchie have…and that was a good heart. Mitchie was a beautiful person inside and out and that was what he liked about her. He didn't know if Tess could ever care about anyone like Mitchie cared about people. "No," he answered finally. "I like Mitchie."

She covered her mouth with her hand so he wouldn't see her sob, but he could see the tears falling down her cheeks. "Mitchie, Mitchie, Mitchie. That's all you care about. What's so great about her? She's just another girl. There are prettier ones out there. There are other girls who can sing better, who can dance better, who are smarter. Why do you like her so much? Tell me," she begged, desperately seeking answers.

Seeing her so distraught, his heart panged with guilt. Even if he had no feelings for her, he still did not want to see her hurt. "I'm sorry," was all he said. He saw her turn to leave and he assumed she was going back to her cabin. But before she left she gave him one last look.

"You say you don't like me but you did once," she said softly and turned to leave, leaving him baffled.


	4. Little Miss Obsessive

_Am I the reason why you tossed and turned last night?  
Everything's such a blur, it didn't come out right_

_It was playtime at Oakwood Preschool and each student could pick an activity that he or she wanted to do. Five year old Tess was combing the knots out of her Barbie's blond hair, humming to herself. Six year old Shane was putting a yellow block on top of a red one, attempting to build a skyscraper. "Look at my dolly," Tess suddenly said, showing Shane her precious Barbie. _

"_That's nice," Shane said absently, not taking his eyes off his blocks. He licked his lips as he carefully put another yellow block on top of the previous one. _

_Tess huffed in annoyance and walked over towards the young boy. "You're not paying attention to me," she whined, scrunching her face up in anger. _

"_Leave me alone," Shane said, trying to pick the best block to build his skyscraper. He finally chose a blue rectangular block when Tess grabbed it out of his hands. "Hey, give that back!" he cried, reaching his hand out to retrieve his stolen block. _

_Tess held the block far from his reach and shook her head. "Not until you play with me." She gave him what would be her trademark smirk._

_Shane stood up. "I'm telling the teacher," he said with fierce determination._

_Tess stuck her tongue out at him. "Baby." She threw the block on the ground toward him._

"_I'm not a baby," he protested, happy to have his block back. He placed the block on top of the others and watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was looking down at her doll quietly. "Hey, wanna play with me?" he asked and she looked up at him. _

"_You want to play with me?" she asked in surprise. He nodded and she smiled, picking up a block from the floor. "What do I do with this?" she wondered curiously._

_He handed her a bunch of blocks. "Here, you can build the house while I finish the skyscraper," he told her. _

_She nodded, putting her doll on the floor. "I'll build the best house ever," she promised, smiling widely. _

_Fifteen minutes later, Shane finished his skyscraper and Tess was putting the finishing touches on her house. After she finished, she stared at her creation in admiration. "It's so beautiful," she murmured, clapping her tiny hands together. _

_Shane was busy admiring his own work. "Mine's so cool," he proclaimed arrogantly, a smug smile on his face._

"_Okay, kids. Playtime's over," Ms. Evans announced, looking around the classroom. Many of the kids groaned, wishing they could play some more._

_Shane reached for the blocks, planning to put them back into their box when Tess grabbed his hand. "Don't," she said. "Leave them. We worked on hard them." Shane stared at the projects for a minute then gave her a decisive nod. _

"_Okay," he replied, and left the house and skyscraper as is. She grinned at him._

"_Let's play together tomorrow. I like you," she told him, twirling a strand of blond hair around her finger._

_He smiled shyly. "I like you too."_

Tess opened her eyes slowly, squinting at the morning sunlight shining on her face. She sat up and rubbed her face. Ever since Brown gave her the proposition, she had been having flashbacks of preschool, where she and Shane first met. A smile crossed her face when she remembered the fours words he said to her that day. That was the first time anyone had ever said that they liked her and she'll never forget it. Unfortunately, that day was the last time she had ever saw him. He disappeared and she soon forgot about him. But when she saw him last summer, the memory had hit her sharply like a bolt of lightning. She had wondered if he remembered her but the fact that he had barely greeted her gave her the answers that she needed to know- he had forgotten. That day, everything he had said…he had forgotten all of it. The thought pained her and she tried to lessen the pain by telling herself that they had only known each other for one day and they were kids. It would be unreasonable to have such expectations from him. However, it pained her that he forgot…and she remembered.

Tess rose up from her bed and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She changed into a white halter top and demin mini-skirt and walked out of the cabin when someone grabbed her wrist. Alarmed, she whirled around only to discover that it was Shane. "Shane? Are you trying to scare me?" she demanded, struggling in his tight grasp.

He released her when he saw her struggle. "Sorry," he apologized.

She rubbed her sore wrist and narrowed her blue eyes at him. "What do you want?" she asked.

Shane ran his hand through his auburn hair, not meeting her eyes. "Yesterday- you said that I liked you once. What did you mean by that?" he wondered curiously.

Tess masked a cool expression on her face and crossed her arms across her chest. "Nothing," she replied dismissively. "Just forget it." She turned around and was about to leave again.

"Wait!" he cried which made her turn around for the second time.

"What?" she demanded in irritation. "I'm hungry. I haven't had breakfast yet," she pointed out, annoyed at the famous teenager for being so persistent. Yet deep inside, she was a little flattered that she made him care.

Shane flinched in irritation at her visible attitude towards him. "I don't believe you. You said I liked you. When?" he demanded.

Tess smirked at him. "That's for me to know and for you to find out," she teased, turning around to walk to the camp's cafeteria. When her back was facing towards him, the grin on her face disappeared, replaced with a somber expression.

"I get it," he said which made her stop. "You're lying," he accused.

She turned around and narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

It was his turn to smirk. "You like me so you made up this lie that I liked you once. Good one, Tyler."

She clenched her fists in anger. It was one thing that he forgot, but now he was accusing her of lying. She had the biting urge to wipe that pompous smile off of his handsome face. Tess forced herself to calm down and she quickly stared at him apathetically. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, _Grey_," she spoke, emphasizing his surname. "But let me ask you this." She smirked at him and raised an eyebrow. "The day you left- where did you go?"

He just stood there, too disoriented to say anything.

"See you at breakfast," she said with a smile and strolled towards the cafeteria.

* * *

Shane moved the scrambled eggs around on his plate with a fork. Usually he was famished during breakfast but today he had no appetite. It did not help that the campers were staring at him every second, whispering amongst themselves while doing so. "What are you looking at?" he shouted in irritation then reverted his attention to his plate of food.

It had shocked him when she had told him last night that he liked her. She wasn't his type and more importantly, he had no recollection of the feelings she had claimed. Shane scratched his head. He was sure he didn't have amnesia and he was too young for dementia. Then she really had him baffled when she had asked him where he had gone. It was such an ambiguous question. He and the other members of Connect Three had been to many countries when they were on tour. But he was pretty sure that was not what she meant. He sighed and continued to push the food around on his plate. Tess was becoming a puzzle that he could not seem to solve.

He felt someone sitting down next to him and he turned to see who it was. Tess looked at him and smiled.

"Hi, sweetie," she greeted with a big grin, flipping her long, blond hair behind her shoulders.

_Sweetie_? The word made him queasy to his stomach. "Uhh…hi," he said, giving her an awkward smile.

"What's wrong?" Tess asked, noticing his uneasiness. "Are you sick?" she put her hand on his forehead. "Hmm…your temperature is normal."

Shane lightly swatted her hand away. "I'm not sick," he answered irritably. He looked down at his food. "It's just…" He looked around the cafeteria then leaned in to whisper into her ear, "…I don't understand."

She took a gulp of her orange juice and took a bite of her macaroni and cheese. "Understand what?"

Shane looked around to make sure that no one was listening. "Those questions you asked me- what did they mean? What did you mean when you asked me where did I go?" he wondered curiously.

A smile slowly crept onto her lips and she turned to look at him. "I can't believe it," she said, smirking.

Shane's brows furrowed in confusion. "Huh?"

Tess raised one perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Shane Grey, you are becoming obsessed with me," she announced arrogantly.

"What?" He shook his head furiously. "No way. I would never- no way," he protested. Just because he was wondering why Tess was asking him such weird questions lately does not mean that he was becoming obsessed with her. Just because her claim that he liked her once had kept him up all night does not mean that he was becoming obsessed with her. Just because he was watching her put lip balm on her pink, plump lips does not mean that he was becoming obsessed with her. _Shit_. He was obsessed. Shane stood up abruptly from the cafeteria table. "I have to go," he said hurriedly before running towards the door.


	5. Just So You Know

Sorry it took me so long to update. I've been really busy over the summer and during school. Hope you enjoy this chapter and please comment.

_Just so you know_

_This feeling's taking control_

_Of me and I can't help it_

Shane ran back to the cabin, only stopping when he was safely inside. Putting his arm against the wooden wall, he breathed heavily. He felt his stomach toss and turn and resisted the urge to vomit. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head against the wall. He did not like Tess. He couldn't. He liked Mitchie and only Mitchie and that was a fact. So why does his heart beat when he thinks of her blond hair and big blue eyes, the color of the Pacific Ocean. _It's just a phase_, Shane mentally told himself. He knew what his heart wanted and it was definitely not Tess.

"Shane.''

He looked up and saw that Mitchie was inside the cabin. She must have stepped inside when he was lost in his thoughts. "M-Mitchie,'' he said, surprised.

She walked towards him, slowly and cautiously. She took his arm and looked into his brown orbs. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "I saw you run out.''

He nodded. "I'm okay. The cafeteria food just gave me a little stomachache, that's all," he lied. He could not tell her that he thought he liked Tess as well as her too. She would be devastated.

She nodded as if accepting his answer. "Shane,'' she began, "I know,'' she said solemnly.

For a second, Shane stopped breathing. "You know?" How could she have known of his attraction to Tess? Were his feelings that obvious?

She held onto his arm. "It's okay.''

He looked at her in surprise. "It is? You don't mind?"

Mitchie shook her head. "I know that you are only dating Tess so that the media won't know about us. I know that you don't really like her.''

Shane breathed a sigh of relief. So she didn't know. He nodded quickly. "Right.''

Suddenly, she gave him a hug. "Shane, I don't care. I don't care that you are pretending to be Tess' boyfriend, just as long as we can be together. I love you.''

This was the second time that she said she loved him. And it was also the second time that he couldn't say those three words back.

* * *

It was five o' clock and dinner was just an hour away. Shane was sitting on the dock, staring at the glistening waters of the lake.

"What the hell was that?" a furious voice demanded.

He whirled his head around to see an angry Tess Tyler with her arms crossed tightly across her chest. He ignored her and turned his attention back to the lake.

"Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you.'' She stalked over and sat down next to him. She shoved at his chest. "Hey, are you listening?''

"What do you want?" he asked. He hated when his peaceful moments were disrupted.

"What do I want?" she yelled in annoyance. "I want an explanation. You just ran off during breakfast today. I don't know what your problem is.''

_My problem is you_, he said silently.

"I don't have a problem,'' he replied, not looking at her.

"Geez, you don't have to be upset just because Mitchie is pissed off at you. She'll get over it," Tess said, rolling her eyes.

_She already has_, Shane thought.

"I'm not upset over that," Shane stated, finally looking at her. He noticed she was wearing a white, spaghetti strap dress and her feet were covered in matching sandals- perfect for summer. Hell, she looked perfect; and Shane gritted his teeth for even having that thought.

"Then, what are you upset about?" Tess asked curiously, scooting closer to him.

Her presence made his heart beat faster and he hated it. He stood up and looked down at her. "I'm upset over this whole situation. It's wrong.'' _Liking you is wrong._

She stood up, also. "Well of course it's wrong,'' she said, rolling her eyes. "We knew that from the start, but we mutually agreed anyways.''

"I agreed for Mitchie,'' he protested, gesturing his arm towards the lake. "Why did you?" he asked finally, glaring at her.

Tess smirked. "Simple- Mitchie stole the thunder at Final Jam so I'm stealing her boyfriend.''

Shane frowned. Tess was only using him to make Mitchie jealous, to hurt her. She did not like him at all. "So this was your plan?'' He laughed harshly. "People told me you have changed. But judging from today, you haven't changed at all- still the same selfish, manipulative bitch.'' He saw her blue orbs swell with tears but he didn't want to believe it. His heart refused to feel for someone so evil.

Tess wiped her eyes and straightened her posture. "I'll see you at dinner,'' she said coldly and walked past him.

He had the urge to stop her and apologize for his harsh words. But he didn't. For the sake of his and Mitchie's relationship, he could not open his heart to the blonde anymore.


End file.
